Sheet receiving arrangement for printing machines



Jan. 13, 1970 G. RITZERFELD SHEET RECEIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR PRINTINGMACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 19, 1967 Jan. 13, 1970 G.RITZERFELD 3,489,083

SHEET RECEIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 1.9, 1967 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 13,1970 G. RITZERFELD 3,489,083

SHEET RECEIVING ARRANGEMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed June l9, 1967 3Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,489,083 SHEET RECEIVINGARRANGEMENT FOR PRINTING MACHINES Gerhard Ritzerfeld, Franzenbader Str.21, Berlin-Grunewald, Germany Filed June 19, 1967, Ser. No. 647,134Claims priority, application Germany, June 28, 1966, R 43,558 Int. Cl.1341 5/12; B65h 3/06 U.S. Cl. 101-232 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A rotary duplicator has receiving boxes in front and rear ofthe printing roller. Manual means are operable to shift a guide tablebetween a first position in which the guide table guides printed sheetsto one of the receiving boxes, and a second position in which the guidetable is coupled to a cam follower actuated by a cam on the printingroller to move the guide table between a sheet receiving position, and aposition for depositing the received sheet on a conveyor which carriesthe sheet to the other receiving box.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known to provide printing machines,such as a rotary duplicator, with means in front and in the rear of theprinting roller for receiving printed sheets selectively on one or theother side of the machine.

The constructions according to the prior art have reversible conveyorswhich are uneconomical and further have the disadvantage that whencertain types of paper are used, the new print is smeared by engagementwith pressure roller cooperating with the conveyors. Anotherdisadvantage of conventional constructions for this purpose is thedifficulty in obtaining satisfactory stacking of the sheets on the frontand rear receiving tables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to overcomethe disadvantages of known constructions for depositing printed sheetsin front and rear of a printing machine, and to provide a simple andefficient apparatus serving this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet receivingarrangement for a duplicating machine which can be shifted between acondition depositing printed sheets in front, and another conditiondepositing printed sheets in the rear of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to use a guide means for guiding theprinted sheets selectively to the front or rear of the machine, and tooperate the guide means partly manually, and partly from the drive ofthe printing means.

With these objects in view, the present invention is concerned with animprovement of a printing machine having printing means, such as aduplicating roller and a counter pressure roller, adapted to discharge aprinted sheet. An embodiment of the sheet receiving arrangementaccording to the invention comprises first and second sheet receivingmeans located on opposite sides of the machine; a sheet support, such asa steeply inclined table, located on the same side of the machine as thefirst receiving means; and a guide means, preferably in the form of asecond table, pivotally mounted on a carrier linkage.

The guide means is operable between a first position for receiving adischarged sheet and for guiding the sheet onto the first receivingmeans, a second position for guiding a discharged sheet onto the sheetsupport, and a third position for guiding a sheet from the sheet supporttoward the second receiving means, preferably onto a conveyor moving thesheet to the second receiving means.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, manual operating meansshift the guide table between the first position associated with thefirst receiving means, and one of the second and third positions inwhich the guide table is coupled to a cam follower driven by a cam insynchronism with the operation of the printing machine. The second andthird positions of the guide table are both associated with the secondreceiving means, inasmuch as the guide table receives the sheet from theprinting roller and counter pressure roller in the second position,guides the sheets onto a sheet support table, and is then shifted by thecam and cam follower to the third position forming an extension of thesupport table permitting the sheet to slide downwardly onto the conveyorwhich carries it to the second receiving means. Since the first andsecond receiving means are receiving boxes located in the rear and inthe front of the machine, the operator can set the apparatus to anoperation in which the sheets are stacked in the rear or in the front ofthe machine, as desired.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the guide table ispivotally mounted on a manually operated carrier linkage so as to beangularly displaced by the cam follower between the second and thirdpositions. When the manually operated carrier linkage is shifted toanother position, the guide table is turned with the carrier linkage toa position forming an extension of the receiving box in the rear towardthe path along which the printing roller and counterpressure rollerdeliver the printed sheet.

Preferably, the inclined sheet support table, on which the sheet istemporarily placed while the guide table is in the second position, ispivotally mounted and connected with the carrier linkage so as to beshifted to an inoperative position when the guide table cooperates withthe first receiving box. In the inoperative position, the lower end ofthe support table is so far spaced from the path along which the printedsheets are discharged, that even sheets temporarily adhering to theprinting roller cannot engage the lower end of the support table.

Since a discharged printed sheet is pushed up along the guide table andsupport table, and then slides down, the support table is provided atthe upper end with an abutment which reverses the upward movement of thesheets when the same are driven to the highest point of the supporttable.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the acompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic sideview, partially in section, illustrating a duplicating machine providedwith a sheet receiving arrangement according to one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic plan view, partially in section,illustrating the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic side view corresponding to FIG. 1, butillustrating another operational position of the apparatus.

Description of the preferred embodiment A duplicating roller 1 carryinga master 12 secured by holding means 11 is rotated in the direction ofthe arrow by drive shaft 10. Copy sheet blanks 2 are supplied on a table3 to a pair of transporting rollers 4 and 5, and are moistened by amoistening means 6. Transporting rollers 4 and 5 transport the copysheet blank over a guide 8 to the bight between printing roller 1 and acounterpressure roller 9 so that the copy sheet blank is imprinted bythe text appearing on the master sheet 12. A one revolution clutch, notshown, stops rotation of the printing roller after each revolution inthe initial position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in which a follower roller16 engages a low portion of cam 13 so that the cam follower 14 on whichroller 16 is mounted, is held by a spring 20 in the illustrated positionin which a coupling pin 18 at the lower end of cam follower lever 14 islocated in an open slot of a fork shaped coupling part 37 which issecured to a guide table 17.

In the initial position of the printing roller and cam 13 shown in FIG.1, the coupling means 18, 37 holds guide table 17 in a downwardlyinclined position aligned with the higher inclined support table 21which is mounted for pivotal movement about a pin 49. An abutmentchannel 50 is located at the upper end of support table 21 which has abracket connected by pivots 47, 48 and a link 46 to a double armed lever45 mounted for turning movement about a pivot 44 and connected by apivot pin 43 to a long link 42.

As also shown in FIG. 2, the link 42 is connected by a pivot pin 41 to atransverse portion of an operating member 35 which is secured to a shaft36 to whose other end a correspondingly shaped operating member 51 issecured. The other ends of operating members 35, 51 have pivot pins 19,52 connected to a bracket secured to guide table. 17 and coupling member35. A pivot 40 connects operating member 37 with a link 34 which isconnected by pivot 39 to a manually operated handle 31 mounted on apivot for movement between a first operative position shown in FIG. 3abutting a stop 32, and a second operative position shown in FIG. 1abutting stop 29. A spring 33 is secured to the handle 31 and to a fixedpoint on the frame of the machine so as to be located on opposite sidesof pivot 30 in the two positions of handle 31 whereby the spring holdshandle 31 in either position and is most tensioned in a dead-centerposition intermediate the two operative positions of the handle.

Consequently, when the handle is manually shifted between the positionsillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3,.the carrier linkage 34, 35 is shifted,coupling parts 37 and 18 are separated, and guide table 17 is moveduntil engaging a fixed stop 38 which turns guide table 17 to theposition shown in FIG. 3 forming an extension of the bottom of areceiving box 28, and pointing toward the counterpressure roller 9 sothat a sheet discharged from the printing means 1, 9 is received byguide table 17 and guided into the receiving box 28 at the rear of themachine.

When handle 31 is shifted to the position of FIG. 1 while the printingroller 1 is in the initial position and cam follower means 14, 16cooperate with the low portion of cam 13, coupling part 37 moves alongsuch a path as to receive coupling pin 18 in its slot so that guidetable 17 is coupled in the position of FIG. 1 to cam follower lever 18which is mounted for pivotal movement on a pivot pin 15 on a frame wallas shown in FIG. 2.

During rotation of the printing roller 1, the circular cam track of cam13 is effective to turn cam follower lever to the position indicated inchain lines in FIG. 1 so that guide table 17 is turned to the positionshown in chain lines in FIG. 1 while coupling pin 18 moves deeper intothe slot of coupling part 37. Guide table 17 is now positioned toreceive a printed sheet discharged by the printing means 1, 9 and toguide the same toward and upward along support table 21 in the directionof the arrow B.

Below the guide table 17 in the position of FIG. 1, a conveyor band 22is guided about rollers 25, 26 mounted on shafts 23 and 24, at least oneof which is driven to transport a sheet deposited on the conveyor band22 toward the front of the machine and into a receiving box 27. Paperguide rollers 55 are mounted on lever means 53 to hold sheetstransported by conveyor band 22 on the conveyor band, and lever means 53are adjustable on shaft 36 by means of adjusting rings 54. In order toprevent running up of transported sheets on guide rollers 55, curvedsheet guides 57 are provided above conveyor band 22 and supported on atransverse bar 56.

If the operator desires deposition of the printed sheets in the frontreceiving box 27, he places handle 31 in the position of FIG. 1 engagingstop 29. Carrier linkage 34, 35, 51 moves guide table 17 to the positionillustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1 in which the coupling means 18, 37engage since printing roller 1 is in the initial position of rest andcam follower means 14, 16 engages a depressed cam portion in thisposition of printing means 1. Guide table 17 is downwardly inclinedtoward conveyor band 22 and aligned with the inclined support table 21which is held in the position of FIG. 1 by the linkage 42, 45, 46.

The operator now starts the duplicating machine, and printing roller 1is driven by a one revolution clutch, not shown, to perform onerevolution and to stop again when arriving at the initial position shownin FIG. 1. A supplied copy sheet blank 2 is moistened and transported tothe printing plane where it is imprinted by the inked text on mastersheet 12. Shortly before the leading end of the master sheet arrives inthe printing plane A, the higher circular peripheral portion of cam 13begins to cooperate with cam follower means 14, 16, and guide table 17is turned to the position shown in chain lines in which its front end islocated in the proximity of the bight of the printing roller andcounterpressure roller and positioned to receive the imprinted copysheet and to guide the same first onto the lower end of the inclinedsupport table 21 and then higher up the support table in the directionof the arrow B until the leading end of the printed copy sheet engagesstop channel 50 whereupon the copy sheet begins to slide downward onsupport table 21. At this moment, the depressed portion of cam 13 isagain engaged by cam follower means 14, 16 under the action of spring 20so that guide table 17 is again in the lower position shown in solidlines aligned with support table 21 so that the printed sheet can slidedown on guide table 17 onto conveyor band 22 by which it is transportedinto the receiving box 27 at the front of the machine. Cam 13 is sodesigned that guide table 17 moves down directly after the trailing endof the printed sheet is released by printing roller 1 andcounterpressure roller 9. Displacement of the printed sheet ontransporting band 22 is prevented by the light pressure of rollers 55.

If the operator desires deposition of the printed sheets at the rear ofthe machine in receiving box 28, handle 31 is shifted to the positionshown in FIG. 3 so that carrier linkage 34, 35 turns glide table 17 tothe position illustrated in FIG. 3 in which guide table 17 rests on stop38, forming an extension of the bottom of receiving box 28 toward theregion in which the printed sheet is discharged by printing means 1, 9.Linkage 42, 45, 46 is also displaced and turns support table 21 oppositeto the direction of the arrow D to the position of FIG. 3 in which thelower end of support table 21 is raised above the path of movement ofthe discharged printed sheets so that the same cannot engage supporttable 21. The channel shape of stop 50 permits the correspondingdisplacement of the upper end of support table 21.

The operator starts the machine and supplies a copy sheet 2 which isimprinted during the revolution of the printing roller 1, and guided byguide table 17 into the receiving box 28 at the rear of the machine. Camfollower level 14 is oscillated by cam 13, but is inopera tive since thecoupling parts 18 and 37 are separated.

In the condition of the machine shown in FIG. 3, handle 31, guide table17 and support table 21 are in a first position. When the handle 31 isshifted, guide table 17 moves in the direction of the arrow C, andsupport table 21 turns in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 3. Whenhandle 31 is shifted back into abutment with stop 32, pivot pins 19, 52move in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 1, and the lower end ofsupport table table 21 moves in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 3.In the second position of guide table 17 shown in chain lines in FIG. 1,a discharged printed sheet is guided onto the support table 21, and inthe third position of guide table 17 shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, thesheet is guided from sheet support table 21 to the front of the machine.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofprinting machines differing from the types described above.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:

1. In a printing machine, in combination, printing means adapted todischarge a printed sheet; a sheet-receiving arrangement comprisingfirst and second sheet-receiving means located on opposite sides of saidprinting machine; single guide means; means mounting said single guidemeans movable between a first position wherein one end of said guidemeans is located in the region of said printing means and the other endthereof cooperates with said first sheet-receiving means for guiding asheet discharged from said printing means to said first sheetreceivingmeans, a second position for receiving at said one end thereof a sheetdischarged from said printing means and retaining the same while in saidsecond position, and a third position wherein said one end of said guidemeans is located in the region of said second sheetreceiving means andlower than said other end thereof so that the sheet retained by saidguide means in said second position thereof will slide down and towardssaid second sheet-receiving means and will be received by the latter;means synchronized with movement of said printing means for movingbetween consecutive discharges of sheets by said printing means saidguide means from said second to said third positions thereof and formoving said guide means back to said second position; and operatingmeans for either (a) moving said guide means-without activating saidmoving meansinto said first position thereof or (b) actuating saidmoving means between consecutive printings so as to move said guidemeans from said second to said third position thereof whereby dischargedsheets can be selectively placed between consecutive printings by saidprinting means either in said first or said second receiving means onopposite sides of said printing machine.

2. A sheet-receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidsynchronized moving means include cam means driven from said printingmeans, and cam-follower means connected with said guide means for movingthe same between said second and third positions.

3. A sheet receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein said camfollower means has a first coupling part, and said guide means has asecond coupling part; and wherein said coupling parts are disengaged insaid first position of said guide means and coupled in said second andthird positions of said guide means so that said guide means is movedbetween said second and third positions by said cam means and camfollower means depending on the position of said printing means.

4. A sheet receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein saidoperating means include manual means connected with said guide means formoving the same between said first, and third positions; said camfollower means having first coupling means; and second coupling meansconnected with said guide means and being coupled with said firstcoupling means in said second and third positions of said guide means,and disengaged in said first position of said guide means so that saidguide means is operated between said first and second positions inaccordance with the positions of the printing means to receive a sheetfrom said printing means in said second position, and to guide the sheettoward said second receiving means in said third position, and is disconnected from said printing means in said first position thereof.

5. A sheet receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidsecond sheet-receiving means includes a receiving box, and conveyormeans for receiving a sheet from said guide means in said thirdposition, and for transporting said sheet to said receiving box.

6. A sheet-receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 5 comprisingmovably mounted roller means cooperating with said conveyor means forholding a sheet transported by the same to said receiving box; andcurved guide members for guiding transported sheets along said conveyormeans and away from said roller means.

7. A sheet-receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidmounting means includes a carrier linkage; wherein said guide means ispivotally mounted on said carrier linkage for movement between saidsecond and third positions, and also movable with said carrier linkage;and wherein said operating means include manual means for moving saidcarrier linkage between first and second operative positions in whichsaid guide means is in said first position, and in said third position,respectively.

8. A sheet-receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 7 comprising aninclined sheet-supporting first table; wherein said guide means includesa second table pivotally mounted on said carrier linkage below saidfirst table and being located in said second position to receive a sheetfrom said printing means and to guide the sheet upward onto said firsttable, and being inclined and aligned with said inclined first table insaid third position so that the sheet slides downward on said first andsecond tables.

9. A sheet-receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein saidsynchronized moving means includes cam means driven from said printingmeans, and cam-follower means; wherein said cam-follower means has afirst coupling part, and said second table has a second coupling part;and wherein said coupling parts are disengaged in said first position ofsaid second table and coupled in said second and third positions of saidsecond table so that said second table is moved between said second andthird positions by said cam means and camfollower means depending on theposition of said printing means.

10. A sheet-receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein saidsecond sheet-receiving means includes a receiving box and conveyormeans; and wherein said second table in said first position is locatedabove said first receiving means, and in said third position is locateddirectly above said conveyor means so that a sheet deposited in saidthird position on said conveyor means is transported to said receivingbox.

11. A sheet receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein saidfirst table is mounted for pivotal movement, and is connected with saidcarrier linkage so that said first table is in a first position locatedspaced from said second table when said manual means is in said firstoperative position, and is in a second position for receiving a sheetfrom said second table in said second position of the same when saidmanual means is in said second operative position.

12. A sheet receiving arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein saidsecond table has one end adjacent the 7 8 lower end of said first tableand is located slanted to the FOREIGN PATENTS same in said secondposition and aligned with the same 1,217,976 6/1966 Germany.

in said third position of said second table. 1,010,733 11/1965 GreatBritain.

5 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner J. REED FISHER, Assistant ExaminerReferences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 770,486 9/1904 White 101232 X2,076,391 4/1937 Whitehead 271--64 U.S. C1. X.R. 2,141,407 12/1938Ritzerfield -4 101132 27164 2,847,214 8/1958 Ritzerfeld et a1. 101 132 X3,313,538 4/1967 1511 27164

